It has been known that potassium ion plays an important role in gastric H.sup.+ transport and it has been demonstrated that K.sup.+ is necessary for the maintenance of acid secretion. Moreover, K.sup.+ is a normal essential component of gastric juice.
The prevalence of atrophic gastritis and gastric atrophy among our population is well recognized. These conditions result in gastric acid hyposecretion or hypochlorhydria. The physiological consequences of hypochlorhydria include a decreased secretion of intrinsic factor for vitamin B.sub.12 absorption, bacterial overgrowth in the proximal small intestine, and altered proximal small intestinal pH. Under normal conditions, most bacteria swallowed or ingested with food are destroyed by gastric acid. The bacteria that overgrow in the upper small bowel in atrophic gastritis individuals may affect the absorption of certain nutrients by binding or metabolizing these nutrients and/or reducing their bioavailability.
In addition, a high intraluminal pH of the stomach and proximal small intestine may prevent the release of specific nutrients from food complexes (e.g. fiber, phytate, protein) as a result of a lack of pH-dependent dissociation and/or acid pepsin digestion. In general, trace minerals such as iron, zinc and copper precipitate with phytate at pH values greater than 4. Mineral-fiber interactions are also pH dependent and the extent of binding of mineral by dietary fiber increases with increasing pH. For example, zinc associated with a protein-phytate complex shows low bioavailability which could be related to the decreased digestibility of protein when complexed to phytate. A rise in stomach pH values, together with decreased pepsin activity, may encourage the formation of protein-mineral-phytate complexes or prevent the dissociation of such complexes. Thus, the absorption or digestion of select nutrients are dependent upon adequate gastric acidity.
It is an object of the invention to provide a method of enhancing gastric acid response in persons with low gastric acid secretion, especially individuals having atrophic gastritis or gastric atrophy. It is a further object to provide a method of oral administration of potassium to enhance the gastric acid response in such persons. It is a further object to provide coffee products having an enhanced potassium content.